Jan. 13, Note of Thanks. Groves Chamber Breakfast. Campus Semester Reports. Substitute Counselor. Personnel Information

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1 Jan. 13, 2006 "Genius without education is like silver in the mine." Benjamin Franklin ( ) Note of Thanks The enclosed note from Kay and Rusty Doucet expresses their appreciation for your expression of sympathy for the loss of their beloved husband and father, Curtis Doucet. Currently a few PNGISD staff members are in the process of establishing a scholarship fund in the memory of Mr. Doucet. Groves Chamber Breakfast The Groves Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual breakfast on Friday, January 20. The attached invitation provides you with details regarding the event. Please notify Bonnie Jennings by January 17 th if you are planning to attend so that she can purchase a ticket for you. Campus Semester Reports Enclosed are the campus semester reports for the fall semester. In addition, you are receiving campus reports on fund raising activities that are taking place during this school year. Substitute Counselor Due to family needs, Shelley Dettman, Groves Elementary Counselor, has been unable to attend school for several weeks in both the fall and spring semesters. During the fall semester, staff in the curriculum department completed several tasks for Ms. Dettman in her absence. Since a great deal of testing will take place during the spring semester, it is recommended that a substitute counselor be placed at Groves Elementary until Ms. Dettman is able to resume her job responsibilities. The attached memorandum from Billy Curl recommends that counselor substitutes be paid a daily rate of $120. It is hopeful that a few of our recently retired counselors will be available to fill this substitute position. Personnel Information The following information was forwarded to me from Billy Curl. It explains the rationale for contract recommendations that will be discussed at the January 17 th board meeting. Billy Curl: The draft on the following page contains the guidelines I recommend we bring to the board on Tuesday evening. On the second page, I review the bases for the proposal. Last year s proposal only addressed certified personnel on one-year contracts. This proposal covers all certified personnel and should serve us well until we have a better idea of what funding from the legislature will be. Counselors and diagnosticians are included with administrators since that was the designation from the TASB plan adopted by the board in the summer of My earlier to you outlined Rick s suggestion that we continue the probationary contract period as long as possible (i.e., three years for new hires with less than 5 of the last 8 years experience.) While we may eventually need to consider that option, our

2 principals are doing a good job in recommending qualified teachers. Although a new teacher would be eligible for a 1-year term contract in his/her 3 rd year with the district, if a principal had any reservations, he could recommend a probationary contract for a 3 rd year. That should allow the district sufficient time to determine if the teacher fits our district. The proposal allows veteran teachers on 2-year contracts to continue on 2-year contracts. It also allows for personnel promoted from within the district to return to two-year contracts after a probationary and one-year term contract in the new position. With the number of campus principals and central office administrators eligible or nearing eligibility for retirement, we do not want policy to discourage those PNGISD personnel who have contributed to our successes from seeking advancement within our system. You are also aware that in the past, the board has not offered a contract extension to an administrator if significant remediation was needed. Once there was evidence of the remediation, the administrator received the extension in the next year. Let me know if you have any questions. I will fax the draft to Rick. DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, NURSES Eligible For 1 st Year in District 1-Year Probationary 2 nd year in District Less than 5 of last 8 years teaching experience 1-Year Probationary 2 nd year in District 5 or more of last 8 years teaching experience 1-Year Term Currently on 1-Year Term Currently on 2-Year Term 1-Year Term 2-Year Term ADMINISTRATORS, COUNSELORS, DIAGNOSTICIANS 1 st year in position in District 1-year Probationary 2 nd year in position in District 1-Year Term 3 rd year in position in District 2-Year Term Counselors/Diagnosticians on 2 year term Administrators on 2-year term 2-Year Term 1-Year Contract Extension

3 The recommendation to the Board of Trustees in February 2005 was based upon: 1) The desire to provide current certified employees with assurance of employment for the school year; 2) The belief that attrition through retirement and resignations could alleviate the need for an involuntary reduction of certified personnel at the end of the school year; and 3) The recognition of the possibility that the District will need to reduce staff at the end of the school year if sufficient reduction is not achieved through attrition, (i.e., retirements and resignations) The present recommendation updates those bases for the school year. Additionally, the recommendation recognizes the following facts: 1) The Texas Legislature s failure in both regular and special sessions to provide a school finance plan that adequately address the needs of Texas schools has kept the district in the position of offering contracts this spring before we know how to even estimate we will receive to fund those contracts; 2) The aftermath of Hurricane Rita from the increased cost of building materials to the cost involved in restoring homes, businesses and industry in our area has potentially lengthened the timeline for bringing a bond proposal to voters, and, consequently, beginning construction in the event a bond issue is passed. Administrative staffing would remain constant unless a bond issue allows for consolidation of campuses. Review of the plan notes that Administrators, Counselors, and Diagnosticians move to term contracts in the second year of employment in the position and to two-year term contracts in the third year in the position. In addition to the considerations listed above, this part of the proposal recognizes the following: 1) Administrators, Counselors, and Diagnosticians are required to have successful teaching experience before receiving professional certification. 2) Continually limiting administrators, counselors, and diagnosticians to a maximum one-year term contract serves as a disincentive to promotion from within the district (e.g., an experienced teacher eligible for two-year renewals moves to a one-year probationary contract followed by maximum one-year term contracts) 3) Central office and all but two campus principals are eligible for full retirement benefits within the next 3 years. Baseball Field Fencing A purchase order was previously produced for repairs on the softball fence. Due to the magnitude of the repairs needed for the baseball fencing, Frank Wilson has secured two bids for fencing. The attached quotes from Mike Barnett Construction and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) provides you with information regarding pricing for 8 fencing. The TDCJ has recently been on site near the Port Neches City Hall performing restoration tasks caused by the hurricane. Mr. Wilson has been assured by the TDCJ that the inmates performing the construction work are highly supervised and very competent. Recent News The following articles are provided for your information. 1) Abatements play vital role in development The article provides the reader with a good explanation of how abatements benefit industry and the community.

4 2) Frequently Asked Questions about Open Government Training The article provides answers to several questions board members and superintendents may have regarding Open Government Training. 3) Gov. Perry s 65 percent delusion There appears to be much confusion regarding the details of the 65% rule. 4) Study: Wealthy schools still on top Poor school districts still feel that equity is not being addressed. 5) Friday Facts: A Year in Review: 2005 Legal Landmarks The article highlights landmark cases that affected school districts during the past year. 6) With emphasis on computers, schools are writing off cursive The article reflects the trend in education to de-emphasize cursive writing in elementary schools. 7) CCISD board shares plan with cities The Clear Creek Independent School District shared their long-term strategic plan with local officials in an effort to gain support for the district.

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31 Coming Events Annual Performance Report & Regular Board Meeting... January 6:30 p.m. SE TX Regional Planning Commission Dinner MCM Elegante Hotel. Jan. 6 p.m. (Judge Burnett has been nominated for the Frances K. Monk Leadership Award) Please let Bonnie know by Jan. 11 if you would like to attend. Groves Chamber Breakfast Meeting (The Courtyard Café)...Jan. 7:30 a.m. Supt. Evaluation/Goals Workshop... January 6:30 p.m. At 6 p.m. a Board appreciation meal will be provided by the campuses. SNASBMA Grassroots Reg. 5 Silsbee... February 6:30 p.m. 1 st Day to file for May 13 School Board Election...Feb. 13 Governance & Legal Seminar in Corpus Christi...March 2-4 Please let Bonnie know if you would like to attend. Last Day to file for May 13 School Board Election... March 13